(Zanjan, Iran) The Fourth International Economic Cooperation Organization -Silk Road Food Festival was held on 1-3 May 2018, in the northwestern Iranian city of Zanjan. The annual festival, hosted by Zanjan Provincial Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization and organized in cooperation with ECO Secretariat, seeks to celebrate the flavors and gastronomy of the region.
During his inaugural speech, ECO Director for Agriculture, Industry and Tourism, Memduh Unal, praised the city of Zanjan for successfully hosting ECO-Silk Road Food Festival festivals, drawing a loyal following of enthusiastic guests who have returned year after year. It is quite befitting that Zanjan, which is situated on the ancient Silk Road and recognized as a cradle of art and culture, has been chosen for this event, he added.
Also present as the ceremony were the Governor of Zanjan Province, Darvish Amiri, Deputy Director General of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Ahmad Danyali, Iranian Parliament Members and members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Since 2015 the ECO-Silk Road Food Festival has been held in the city of Zanjan which is home to the oldest double-shell dome in the world, namely the ,کDome of Soltaniyeh’. The octagonal building, which houses the mausoleum of the eighth Il-khanid dynasty ruler of Persia, Öljeitü (ca. 1280,“1316), is crowned with a 50m-tall dome covered in turquoise blue glazed bricks and surrounded by eight slender minarets. Soltaniyeh is listed among the 22 historic sites registered in UNESCO's list of World Heritage.
